What Are Branded Keywords?
Branded keywords are search terms that include a company, product, or trademark name, things like “Nike running shoes” or “Ahrefs pricing.” Anyone typing one already knows your brand exists; they’re looking for you specifically, not just browsing category options.
Branded vs Non-Branded Keywords
Non-branded keywords describe the product or problem without naming a company: “best running shoes” or “backlink checker tool.” These searchers are still comparing options, which makes non-branded terms harder to rank for but more valuable for winning new customers who don’t know you yet.
Branded terms are usually easier to rank for (you’re the obvious answer to your own name) and convert at a higher rate, since intent is already high.
Why Tracking Them Matters
Branded search volume is one of the cleanest proxies for brand awareness you can get for free. If it’s climbing, your marketing, PR, or word-of-mouth is working. If it’s flat or declining, that’s worth investigating before it shows up in revenue.
Separating branded from non-branded performance in your reporting also stops branded traffic, which would likely convert anyway, from making your non-branded SEO efforts look more effective than they are.
